Israel deploys third Iron Dome battery in the north
Although no specific threat is seen, anti-missile system is precautionary measure following attack on Syria; Patriot batteries stationed in the Galilee
Stuart Winer is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
A third Iron Dome battery was deployed in the north of the country on Tuesday as a precautionary measure in light of the increasingly volatile situation in Syria.
It is the largest deployment of the anti-missile system in the north of the country since the system became operational in 2011.
Channel 2 reported Tuesday that Israel had also deployed longer-range Patriot missiles in the Galilee over the past week.
Army Radio said the development was not in response to any specific threat, but rather due to the tension in the region following last week’s airstrike on Syria, which has been widely attributed to Israel. Iran has threatened that Israel would regret the attack that reportedly destroyed advanced SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles that were being transported from Syria to Lebanon.
“Just as it regretted its aggression after the 33-day, 22-day and eight-day wars, today the Zionist entity will regret the aggression it launched against Syria,” said Saeed Jalili, the head of Iran’s National Security Council, referring to the Second Lebanon War against Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, and operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense against the Palestinian group Hamas.
At the end of January two other batteries were positioned near Haifa and Safed.
During the Second Lebanon War in 2006 Hezbollah targeted both cities with missiles.
Meant to protect strategic assets and heavy populated areas, the Iron Dome system proved effective during Operation Pillar of Defense, intercepting 84 percent of the rockets fired from the Gaza Strip at residential areas in Israel’s south and center.
The Times of Israel Community.